Mikel Arteta names Arsenal's next breakthrough star after Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly

Mikel Arteta has high hopes for 15-year-old Max Dowman, tipping the Hale End midfielder to soon break into his first team and describing him as a "big, big talent".

While Arsenal could end 2024/25 without silverware, it's been a great season for the club's academy. Two teenage sensations have starred for the Gunners this term, particularly Myles Lewis-Skelly after he made his senior debut back in September. He's gone on to shine as Arsenal's starting left-back, even earning a maiden England call-up in March.

Ethan Nwaneri, still the Premier League's youngest-ever debutant, also impressed while filling in for the injured Bukayo Saka at the start of 2025. Together, Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly look poised to be cornerstones of the Gunners for the next decade, and there's hope another Hale End starlet can follow in their footsteps.

Dowman has starred for Arsenal's Under-18s this season, recording 13 goals in 14 Under-18 Premier League appearances and notching three in three FA Youth Cup appearances. He bears a stylistic resemblance to first-team captain Martin Odegaard, with some even labelling the 15-year-old as a potential successor to the Nordic playmaker at the Emirates.

Arteta certainly has high hopes. When asked whether Dowman could have a role to play for his side next season, the Arsenal boss replied: “For the near future, yes.

“Now he is involved in the squad. He trains with us a lot. Does that mean he will play in the Premier League many games? I don’t know; depends how good he is and how impressive he is and how much he offers the team like Ethan [Nwaneri], like Myles [Lewis-Skelly], like any other player in the squad. Let’s see how this evolves but we certainly got a big, big talent there," he added.

Arteta had been criticised in the past of failing to trust Arsenal's youthful stars, but the Arsenal boss has shown with Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly this season that if he believes you're good enough, you're old enough.

Creative midfielder Dowman has been generated plenty of buzz in north London. Back in March, Declan Rice labelled him as "the best 15-year-old in the country", clearly impressing the England international in first-team training.

Dowman's been involved with Arteta's squad for much of the year, and was part of the club's trip to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp in February.

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